Harris To Face Unknowns

May 13, 2006|By Jason Garcia Tallahassee Bureau

TALLAHASSEE — Despite efforts by the GOP to recruit a big-name candidate, only a handful of relatively unknown contenders stepped forward Friday to challenge U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris' bid for the Republican Senate nomination.

That means Harris, the former secretary of state who made worldwide headlines when she oversaw the disputed 2000 presidential election in Florida, is likely to lead the Republican ticket this fall and take on Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.

"We fully expect to be the nominee in September," Harris campaign spokesman Chris Ingram said. "Our focus is going to be on Bill Nelson."

Harris, of Longboat Key, must still win the GOP nomination in the Sept. 5 primary because three other Republicans paid the $9,726 filing fee before Friday's noon deadline. They are LeRoy Collins Jr. of Tampa, son of the late Democratic Gov. LeRoy Collins; Will McBride, a lawyer in Orlando; and Peter Monroe of Safety Harbor, a developer and former appointee of former President George H.W. Bush.

A fourth Republican, Belinda Noah of Tampa, qualified without any party affiliation.

Nelson was the only Democrat to qualify for the campaign. Three other candidates with no party affiliation and two write-in candidates also qualified.

Harris has struggled for months to build support for her campaign, which has been clouded by staff turnover and questions about her ties to a defense contractor who pleaded guilty to bribing a California congressman.

The man Bush and other GOP leaders hoped would take on Harris, outgoing state House Speaker Allan Bense of Panama City, decided against getting into the race. None of the Republicans who entered the race are expected to command the kind of money and attention needed to wage a statewide campaign.